The JAZZ PO POLSKU Foundation, together with partners from the Visegrad Group countries – the Slovak Jazz Society, TIM Production and Czech Jazz Art – is launching the „Visegrad Jazz Exchange” project. The initiative will include concert tours and music workshops in all V4 countries. The project is co-financed by the International Visegrad Fund.
„Visegrad Jazz Exchange” is an initiative to establish artistic cooperation among musicians from the Visegrad Group countries. The ensemble, formed especially for the occasion, will include acclaimed musicians Radovan Tiraska (saxophone, Slovakia), Rafal Sarnecki (guitar, Poland), Tomas Baros (double bass, Czech Republic) and Balazs Bagyi. The project will include 16 concerts, 4 in each country. The musicians will also conduct music workshops, addressed to students from music schools. The project will take place in spring and autumn 2024.
„The project aims to strengthen cooperation among artists and organizations from the V4 countries, both now and in the near future. As part of the project, we intend to create a unique ensemble that will include leading representatives of the current jazz scene of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. The artists will perform a repertoire specially prepared for this occasion, inspired by the culture of each country, as well as current music,” says Jakub Drożdż, Head of Growth at the JAZZ PO POLSKU Foundation.
The „Visegrad Jazz Exchange” project is carried out by the JAZZ PO POLSKU Foundation and is financed by the International Visegrad Fund. Partners include Slovak Jazz Society, TIM Production, Czech Jazz Art.
The JAZZ PO POLSKU Foundation is a non-governmental organization, presenting a wide spectrum of possibilities for Polish artists of the young generation. It helps to establish international cultural cooperation and integrates the communities of artists from many countries. It strives to refresh and strengthen the image of Polish jazz in the consciousness of foreign audiences. Since 2012, JAZZ PO POLSKU has held more than 350 events, in 15 countries. Over 150 musicians took part in them. In the framework of the organized projects, concerts of both, Polish and foreign artists, are held in Poland as well.
The International Visegrad Fund is an international organization established on the basis of an agreement among the governments of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The purpose of the Fund’s activities is to inspire and support closer cooperation between the countries of the Fund, and they are implemented by supporting joint cultural, scientific, educational, youth exchanges and cross-border cooperation projects.
The Visegrad Group (V4) is an informal regional form of cooperation among four Central European countries – Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, which are linked not only by neighborhood and similar geopolitical conditions, but also by common history, tradition and culture. The idea behind the formation of the Group was to intensify cooperation in building democratic state structures and a free market economy, and in the long run to participate in the process of European integration. Its establishment has taken place in February 15, 1991, when the presidents of Poland – Lech Walesa, Czechoslovakia President – Václav Havel and Hungarian Prime Minister – József Antall signed a joint declaration in the Hungarian town of Visegrad, defining the objectives and conditions of mutual cooperation. Visegrad cooperation involves numerous and diverse entities: presidents, prime ministers, ministers, parliaments, government institutions, non-governmental organizations, scientific centers, universities and cultural institutions.